Watch: Durant officially announces he will join the Nets
Welp, looks like the Knicks were not a "done deal" but #HeGone anyways
It's officially official: Kevin Durant's tenure with the Golden State Warriors has come to an end. After a Woj bomb tipped the move, Durant made the announcement via Instagram.
There's not too much to the announcement. A static picture with text indicating Durant will sign a max contract with the Brooklyn Nets when the free agent moratorium ends on July 6th while a clip from a hip hop song plays on a short loop.
Maybe some savvy internet people can read something meaningful into the song choice, but for now there is no information on Durant's rationale behind the change. He'll join newly acquired Kyrie Irving on the court for the 2020-21 season.
Until then, Durant will be rehabbing on the Nets dime after giving everything he had to try and push the Warriors to one more championship.
Personally, I'm filled with gratitude and well wishes for the most dominant free agent to ever willingly choose to come to the Warriors. Hopefully we will get more clarity on the decision as time goes on. But no matter what, you can't fault Durant's contributions while he was a Warrior.
Asked @JaredDudley619 weeks ago to make Nets' pitch to FAs: "Best facilities. You can live in the city, unlike the Knicks. It’s going to take one person to say 'you know what? I’m going to go against the norm. I don’t want to go to the Lakers or Knicks; I want to go to Brooklyn.”
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) June 30, 2019
Brooklyn, much like the Warriors, are a team with a whole lot of losing in their history - but now find their upward trajectory boosted by Durant's arrival.
The Warriors are now in full on lame duck mode, with Klay Thompson out for most of the season and the supporting cast somewhat weak around the edges, the 2019 season is shaping up to be a rough run for Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and the Warriors.
But these players have proven they are going to compete, and the free agency shuffle is far from over.